The benefits of spending time in nature on mental and physical wellbeing are well documented.
However, what if this is difficult to do? It appears that there are various ways of benefitting from the natural environment.
One research study in the Netherlands found that participants viewing images of urban scenes that included “green stimulus” (images of nature) had lower stress levels compared to participants viewing images that didn’t include nature.
In Australia, a study in which houseplants were introduced to office environments was found to boost happiness, and productivity levels rose up to 15%.
Ways to get green stimulus into your life:
**Consider having a houseplant or two within your living space & if you work, within the space you spend most time
**Try placing nature/green images (photos. postcards, greetings cards, posters) around your living space or, for smart phone
users, try creating a folder of nature / green images
**Consider changing your wallpaper and/or screensaver to nature / green images if you regularly use a laptop or other device
**If you are struggling to access nature, many local areas & parks run projects to support people to access the outdoors – this might include ‘Wellbeing Walks’ or other outdoor activities
**To find a green space or park local to you, the Fields in Trust website has a “Fields Finder”
**Many local parks also contain outdoor gyms. Find your local one via the Great Outdoor Gym Company (TGO)
**The Ramblers Association have information about Wellbeing Walk Groups
**The Accessible Countryside for Everyone (ACE) website has information about UK accessible spaces (primarily aimed at those with mobility needs, their carers and families).
